Electrolytic degradation of DNA fluorochromes during flow cytometric measurement of electronic cell volume.

Changes in flow cytometric measurement of DNA content can result from electrolytic chemical degradation of mithramycin, ethidium bromide, and propidium iodide during simultaneous measurement of electronic cell volume. Bench electrolysis also degrades these fluorochromes without changing the quantum yields, even when they are complexed to DNA. In the flow cytometer, electrolytic production of chlorine at the anode is the probable cause of this degradation, since exposure of these fluorochromes to chlorine gas produces the same effect. It is therefore advisable to measure the DNA content distribution alone before simultaneously measuring the DNA content and the electronic cell volume. If unavoidable effects on the DNA distribution are present, narrow forward-angle light scatter should be used as the cell size indicator during dual parameter measurements. Modifying instrument design by reversing electrode polarity might eliminate this problem.